


Rancher!McCree AU

by Starseed (TangoDown1800)



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/M, Historical References, Native American Character(s), Period-Typical Racism, Post-Civil War, Rancher Jesse McCree
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:00:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21727168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TangoDown1800/pseuds/Starseed
Summary: A young woman (you) looking for work gets hired by rancher Jesse McCree who treats her as his equal. Their friendship blossoms even through all the difficulties which only brings them closer.
Relationships: Jesse McCree/Black Reader, Jesse McCree/Reader
Comments: 14
Kudos: 54





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a super self-indulgent fic that I started over two years ago. Many people have asked me if I would continue it and I'm thinking I might.

Before your mother died, you had promised her that you would never let anyone own you. You told her that you would never be someone’s _slave_. She wanted you to be strong, but you could never be as strong as her.

Opportunities for a woman around here were few and far between, especially for a woman of your color. The worst part was, you were hardly accepted by the people you most resembled. See, you are what the people here consider a _mulatto,_ a _mutt,_ or what some people called a _house negro._ You didn’t ask to be born this way, you just were. You blamed the white man that had his way with your mother for all your hardships. You swore you would never work for a white man and you wouldn’t let one take advantage of you.

Yet, here you were, on the train making your way to some man’s ranch, ready to work. You were sure your mother would understand your predicament. Your only other option was to become a whore and there was no way you were going to let a bunch of filthy railroad men lay on top of you every night.

The train began to slow down and grabbed your one little bag, standing up nervously. People had been giving you looks the entire ride but there wasn’t much they could do now that you’ve reached your destination. Some people stared at you almost in disgust others, mostly men, leered at you, no doubt assuming that you were a new whore for the railroad men. You ignored the stares as people filed off the train into the dry heat of the west.

You stood out of the way, using your hand to shield the sun and immediately regret wearing the dress you chose. You had no idea who you were looking for. What exactly did a rancher dress like? A cowboy? The pictures you saw in the papers were all you had to go by, but there were so many men dressed the same, which one was this Mr. McCree you were looking for?

“I believe yer lookin’ for me,” someone drawls behind you. You turn quickly and come face to face with a horse. Its rider pats its neck and you look up at him. He certainly stood out with his red serape blowing in the wind. It was a bit dramatic to you, but what did you know. “This here’s Sunset and I’m McCree. Jesse McCree.” He looked at you strangely so you looked at him until he cleared his throat and looked away.

Your mama would have lost it if she saw how you had lost your manners. You correct yourself immediately and bow your head, “Mr. McCree.” You tell him your name and say hello to Sunset who nuzzles your hand.

“I got another horse for ya right over there.” He points over to a beautiful, white horse waiting patiently. “You can give me your stuff…”

“No, I can manage,” you say, “Thank you, sir.”

“All right, ma’am.” He watched you with interest as you skillfully tied your things onto the saddle and got yourself onto the horse without any problems although you were wearing a dress. You made yourself as comfortable as could be on a horse and looked at him.

“Is something wrong, sir?”

“No, ma’am, not at all.” He gives you an awkward smile and maneuvers his horse around yours to lead the way. You make sure to stay to the side of him and a little further back. You weren’t sure what people would think if they saw you two riding together. “So, tell me ‘bout yourself,” he says turning his head slightly to talk to you.

“What would you like to know, sir?”

He stops his horse suddenly making you stop yours. “I’m gonna need you to stop callin’ me sir. I ain’t no _sir_.”

“Well, you’re a man, ain’t ya?”

“Well, yeah, but that don’t mean you gotta call me sir. I’m sure you’ve done enough of that in your life.” Your head drops and he quickly corrects himself, “I only meant that I ain’t your…master or nothin’. We’re equals.”

“There are plenty of people here that would hang you if they heard you say something like that. We ain’t equal, we never will be.” You look at him and he seems annoyed so you decide to lighten the mood. “What would you like to know about me, s- Mr. McCree?”

He clicks his tongue to get his horse moving again and you follow. “Where you from?” he asks.

“New Orleans, born and raised.” You weren’t sure if he wanted to hear more so you just waited for him to ask another question.

“Family? Mother? Father?” he asks and you sigh.

“I don’t got any family left. My mama took good care of me when she was here though. My father, well, he don’t care about me. As far as I’m concerned, he’s dead.” That was all you wanted to say on the subject but Mr. McCree had other plans.

“How do you know he don’t care ‘bout you?”

“No white man is gonna care about a baby he sired with a slave woman.” You could see McCree’s entire body tense up as the words left your mouth.

“I’m sorry I asked. I’m sorry that happened to your mother…and to you.” He was sincere. You couldn’t see his face, but the way he spoke said it all.

“No reason to be sorry, Mr. McCree.” You looked around and realized you were leaving town. Ahead, you only saw a few houses here and there, some appeared to be abandoned. “So, why did you decide to come out here instead of stayin’ in town? You could work for the railroad.”

“I have my reasons. Let’s just say I ain’t much of a people person.”

“No family? Wife and kids?” you ask.

“No. Just me, my horses and a few other animals, and my land…and now you.” Before you can ask him another question he calls back to you, “Almost there!”

You were relieved to hear that. Your legs were starting to hurt you and it wouldn’t feel good tomorrow. Straight ahead you saw a beautiful ranch house with a few horses grazing in a fenced area.

“It’s beautiful,” you tell McCree and he beams at you.

“Built it with my own two hands.” His smile fades for a moment then he looks ahead again. He stops his horse to jump down and help you off yours, only using his right arm. “Uh, lemme show you where you’ll be stayin’.” He towards the house and up the stairs but you stay where you are. He turns to make sure you’re following but you haven’t moved from your spot. “You comin’?”

You hold the handle of your bag with both hands in front of you nervously, “I’ll be staying in _there_? W-with you?”

He laughs, “Well, yeah, where else would you be stayin’? Out here in the pasture with the horses?”

“I just never…I usually didn’t stay in the same place as my…”

“I already told you I ain’t your master,” he says slightly annoyed, putting his hands on his hips. You’re both rooted to your spots and he lights a cigarillo while waiting for your response.

“Then what exactly are you, Mr. McCree?”

“I’m a rancher.”

“Yes, I know that. I mean…what are you to _me_?” You looked at him expectantly. He removed his hat and slapped it against his leg. Had you annoyed him that much already?

“I’m your _boss_ but you are free to come and go as you please. I don’t own you. You are a free woman as far as I’m concerned.” He starts to walk into the house and you feel a little better following this time. “And I’ll be payin’ you fairly, don’t you worry.”

But that wasn’t what you were worried about. Your mother worked in her master’s house and…well, you were the result of what occurred there.

“Are you expecting me to _lay_ with you, Mr. McCree?”

He sputters and chokes on some smoke from his cigarillo before looking at you in shock. He walks back down the stairs towards you making you back away a little, “I dunno what you think of me but I hired you to help me around the house, nothin’ more. And would you _please_ stop callin’ me mister – it’s just McCree or Jesse.” He walks back up the stairs and waits for you, “You comin’?” You nod and follow.

You gasp audibly when you walk through the door. You could see why he needed you around here, the place was in a state. “Oh my,” you whisper.

“I know, it can use some work,” McCree admits. Work? This place needed an entire makeover. “All right, maybe a lil more than that.” He leads you further into the house and into a room at the end of the hall, “Here you are.” He opens the door for you and lets you walk into the room first. What a big difference between the cleanliness of this room compared to the rest of the house. It certainly looked as though someone had taken care of this room before.

“I never had my own room before!” you say excitedly and he smiles. “Thank you, Mister- I mean, McCree.”

“My pleasure.” He continues to look at you, his eyes trailing up and down making you feel slightly uncomfortable. “We gotta get you more suitable clothing for workin’ out here. Dresses ain’t gonna cut it.”

“I don’t have money for new clothes.” You look away sheepishly, “I spent the money I had to get here.”

“Don’t worry ‘bout that.” He walks towards to the door then turns to you, “I’ll give you some time to settle in. I’m gonna go see to the horses and other animals.”

“Thank you again, McCree,” you say before he leaves. He places his hat on his head and tips it, closing the door behind him. You begin to unpack your meager belongings, the most important thing being a picture of your mother.

When you finish unpacking, you head to the front room again and try to decide where you should start. You would probably be using the kitchen the most so you start there. Grabbing a bucket, you head out the door to find the water pump.

“Mr. McCree!” you call since he was nowhere to be found. “McCree!” You walk around to the back of the house where you find him on his horse. You avert your eyes when you see that he was on wearing his serape. _What happened to his shirt_? He was speaking quietly to the horse when he spotted you and came over.

“Everything okay?” he asks.

“I, uh, yes sir. I was looking for the water pump.” You still couldn’t look at him directly so you kept your eyes on his hat.

“It’s right over there. What do you need water for?”

“I need to clean the kitchen,” you tell him and he shakes his head while jumping down from his horse. “Is there a problem?”

“You ain’t gonna be cleanin’ on your first day here.” He holds his right hand out for the bucket but you turn your body away so that he can’t get to it.

“The kitchen _needs_ to be cleaned, McCree. I can’t do a thing in there the way it is now.” You start to walk past him and he looks at you in disbelief.

“Have you always been this stubborn?” He walks beside you but you keep your eyes straight ahead.

“Yes, sir. Gotta be.” You make it to the water pump without any more protesting from him.

He’s still standing in the same place when you finish, “You gonna at least let me carry the bucket for ya?” Reluctantly, you hand the bucket to him and let him carry it to the house for you. Immediately, you grab a rag and start scrubbing away at things.

“You gonna stand there and watch me?” you ask without looking at him. He chuckles and you smile to yourself.

“I got a few more things to do out here. Shouldn’t take long.”

“You ain’t gotta tell me that, Mr. McCree. You take care of your business and I’ll take care of mine.” You continue to clean, blowing a stray curl out of your face.

“Yes _ma’am_.” He laughs and shakes his head as he walks out the door.

* * *

McCree told you that he wouldn’t be long but by the time he came back into the house, it was dark out and most of the kitchen had been cleaned. You even had time to make supper.

“What is that _smell_?” McCree asks, bursting through the door like madman.

“You hungry?” you ask, pointing to the table and the plate you had waiting for him.

“Starvin’…but how?” He starts walking to the kitchen but you stop him and tell him to remove his boots. He wasn’t going to track dirt in here, not after you spent so long making it nearly spotless.

“Clean your hands, too,” you say before he takes another step. “You had some things in your larder that weren’t rotten surprisingly…so I made supper with what I had.” He sits down in front of his plate excitedly and is about to eat when he looks up at you then at the table.

“Where’s your plate?” he asks.

“I’ll eat when you’re done, sir. ‘Sides I got more cleanin’ to do.” You smile at him and luckily, he had put his shirt back on so it wasn’t so hard to look at him anymore.

“I can’t believe…” He stands up, grabs another plate and starts piling food onto it. You notice that he puts the plate down to spoon the food on with his right hand instead of holding it. He places the plate in front of the chair across from him. “Sit and eat,” he says but you hesitate, “Now.” You weren’t used to this, but you weren’t about to disobey him.

“Thank you, sir.”

“What did I tell you ‘bout that?” His words came out a little funny because of the food in his mouth.

“Thank you, McCree.” You begin to eat timidly, expecting him to jump up at any minute and tell you to get out.

“This is the most delicious dinner I’ve had in _ages_. Thank you,” he says sincerely. You nod at him since you were still chewing then you wipe your mouth.

“You’re quite welcome.” You look at him and he looks at you, a smile appearing. Looking away, you stand quickly and he stands right after, a sign of respect. A man had never done that for you before and you sure weren’t expecting it from him. “I-I’m done. How ‘bout you?” He nods and you take his plate, cleaning it off and avoiding his gaze.

“I’ll probably be up and out early tomorrow so don’t get too worried if you don’t see me,” he says, holding his hat against his thigh.

“I’ll try to get breakfast ready for ya.” You look at him quickly with a small smile.

“You ain’t gotta…”

“I want to,” you say and that stops him from saying any more on the matter.

“Guess I’ll say good night now.” He walks to the door of his room.

“Goodnight, Mr. McCree.”

He says goodnight again before entering his room and closing the door. You finish cleaning the plates and walk to your room. As you pass McCree’s room, you hear whistling and you stand there for a moment to listen. He finally settles in and the whistling stops so you continue to your room.

He had to be one of the strangest men you had ever met but…you liked him. You were sure you only thought he was strange because of the way he acted towards you. He treated you nicely and as his equal which wasn’t usual in this time and place.

You undress and get into your bed – _your_ bed. You smile to yourself and roll over, closing your eyes and feeling safe for the first time in a very long time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You show McCree that you don't back down, not even in the face of danger.

You are startled awake by a loud, crashing sound and string of curses coming from McCree’s room. You jump out of bed quickly and make your way down the hall to knock on his door.

“Mr. McCree, you okay?” You put your ear to the door and listen for an answer. “Sir?”

“Goddamn it!” McCree exclaims followed by another thud. “I-I’m fine!” It sounded as though he was struggling with something but you were worried that he was hurt.

“I’m coming in. Are you decent?”

“I am but there ain’t no need for you to come in here!” You would probably be better off listening to him but you open the door anyway. There were things thrown all about and he sat on the bed shirtless with his head in his hands. You cover your mouth when you realize his left forearm and hand weren’t real.

“Mr. McCree?” You say quietly, cautiously as you bend to pick a few things up.

“You ain’t gotta do that.” He says from behind his hands but you continue. “I said stop!” You flinch and stand up straight.

“You okay?” you ask again.

“Do I look okay?” He chuckles bitterly and looks up at you. “I told you not to come here. Don’t you ever do what you’re told? I gotta send you away already?”

“I’m sorry. I was concerned…” You find the courage to ask what you’ve been wanting to ask since you saw it, “Your arm…did that happen in the war?”

“That ain’t none of your damn business. Get outta here, would ya? Just go.” He looks away and you respect his wishes, walking out and closing the door. You decide making breakfast was the only way you could help right about now.

* * *

You were nearly done cooking by the time you heard footsteps coming down the hall. They slow down when they reach the kitchen and you can tell McCree stood there…probably trying to think of something to say. You were surprised to hear what he said next.

“It happened when I was workin’ on the railroad,” he says. You stop moving around but you don’t turn to him. “It was an explosion. Lost it all the way up to the elbow.”

“Oh,” you mumbled still not looking at him. “I’m sorry.”

“They were lookin’ to get rid of me…”

You finally look at him, “You think they did it on purpose?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised.” He walks over to you, “Anything I can do to help?”

“No, sir…I mean, McCree. But…why would they want to get rid of you?”

“You mean you can’t tell?” You turn to him and look at him questioningly.

“Tell what?”

He looks at you for a minute then shakes his head and clears his throat, “Nothin’.” He takes a plate and sits down at the table, poking at the food before speaking again, “I’m goin’ into town today, you need anything?”

You smile brightly, pulling a list out of the pocket on your apron. McCree looks down at it, bewildered before you explain. “I-I’ll go into town myself and shop if you want me to,” you say, smile falling.

“No, I’ll do it. I just wasn’t expectin’ you to have a list made up already.” He looks the list over and puts it in his pocket. “Breakfast looks good. You joinin’ me?”

You still weren’t used to eating at the same time and table as your employer but it was time you started. You make yourself a plate and sit across from him, watching him enjoy your cooking. “Good?” you chuckle.

He sputters then wipes his mouth while nodding, “Yes, ma’am. Some of the best cookin’ I’ve ever had.” He stands and you stand after him quickly. “I better get goin’ if I wanna get back before dark.”

“Would you like me to make you some sandwiches to take with you?” You start walking over to the countertop.

“No, you ain’t gotta do that. I’ll grab somethin’ for myself.” He puts his hat on his head and walks to the door, “You, uh, ever shoot a gun before?” he asks, taking you by surprise.

“Yes sir, I have.” You think you surprised him more with your answer. “Why?”

“Well, just in case somethin’ happens…” He stops and shakes his head, “Not sayin’ it will…aww hell, forget it. I gotta learn when to stop talkin’.” You walk over to the door and watch him climb onto his horse. He tips his hat, “Should be back before supper!” He rides off and you’re left alone.

* * *

You turn back to the inside of the house and sigh. You had cleaned up well, but there was still work to be done.

While cleaning, you thought about what McCree had asked you: ‘ _You mean you can’t tell?_ ’ What the hell was he talking about and why would the men working on the railroad want to get rid of a hardworking man? You learned long ago that a lot of things in this world didn’t make sense and McCree obviously didn’t like you prying too much so you were left to ponder that on your own.

After cleaning for a little longer, you sit down to rest, your mind still going back to what McCree said. _If he wanted you to know, he would have told you_. You also can’t help but to think about why he asked if you knew how to shoot a gun. I mean, of course you did, but you hoped you’d never have to. Where would he keep it anyway?

Your curiosity gets the best of you and you begin searching for it. The first closet you check has a rifle in it, but surely you wouldn’t need a rifle for anything around here unless you were hunting. There had to be something smaller.

You search the cabinets then the drawers and your eye catches something way in the back of one. You reach in to grab for it and tense up when you realize what it is. It was a six-shooter and looked as though it had seen plenty of action. It was well-made and _loaded_. Just for fun, you aim at a few things in the house and pretend to shoot.

“Okay, that’s enough of that,” you say to yourself, putting the gun away and wiping your hands on your apron. You should start preparing dinner or at least something McCree could eat when he gets back. You wash your hands off in a bucket of water before grabbing the things you need. As soon as you begin to prepare the food, the sound of approaching horses catches your ear and you listen quietly.

You walk to the door and open it, expecting to see McCree with someone else but you don’t recognize the horses or the people and your heart beats faster. You hoped this wasn’t the reason why McCree asked you that strange question.

The men get down off their horses and walk over to you, their steps faltering when they get a good look at you, “Well, well, well looks like McCree is gettin’ a taste of the wild…just like his father.” _What?_ You don’t say a word. “Hey, girl, where’s McCree?” They get closer and you don’t like the look of them one bit.

“He ain’t here, sir…went into town. I’ll let him know you stopped by.” You smile sweetly, making sure they couldn’t see how nervous you were.

“Nah, we can wait. I’m sure you can find some way to, uh, _entertain_ us,” one man says and both men begin laughing.

“As I said, I will let McCree know that you were here. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have dinner to make.” You turn away but the men follow.

“ _McCree?_ So, y’all are that familiar, huh?” What he was implying was ridiculous and scandalous but you answer with a smile all the same.

“He asked me to call him that.”

“Oh, so you do what you’re told then? Wish more of your people were like that. The war got ‘em all on their high horse…” He spits onto the ground and leans in close to you, “What are you makin’ for dinner?”

“I don’t know yet. I was…interrupted.” The anger that flashes in his eyes almost makes you jump back but it’s gone in a moment’s time. His friend was quiet and you appreciated that.

“Sorry for botherin’ ya. Just need to talk to your owner.” He said it as if he knew it would bother you.

“He ain’t my owner,” you snap, squaring your shoulders. “I’m a free woman.”

He runs his hand along your cheek gently then grabs your face, “You’re also just a mulatto who doesn’t know her place. You better watch your mouth, _girl_.” He glares at you and you glare back. He certainly wasn’t expecting that.

“May I go back inside now?” You ask, wiping your face where he touched you.

“Why I outta…”

Suddenly you hear another horse approaching and you pray that it’s McCree. The men turn away from you and you’re able to look past them at the horse coming towards the. You almost sigh out loud in relief. You watch as he jumps down from his horse and almost runs over to the house.

“What the hell is goin’ on here?” he asks, breathing heavily. He looks at you and you try your best to smile at him.

“These men were just leavin’”, you say quietly.

“Can we at least stay for dinner?” The man stared you down again.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I need you get off my property. _Now_.” McCree says, moving so that he can stand beside you.

“Aw, but we wanted to talk about your pretty lil mulatto here, and she is a fine one. You gonna share?” he asks and you can feel McCree bristle next to you. Before you can stop him, his fist is crashing into the man’s face. You shout and move back as the man’s friend joins in, trying his best to pull McCree off. There was no way he was going to fight off two men; it wasn’t a fair fight.

You wanted to scream and shout but this was no time for panicking. You run back into the house and go right to the drawer with the six-shooter. Your hand shakes as you lift it this time, but you walk back to the door calmly. You pull back on the hammer but no one seems to notice until you point the gun to the sky and fire it. All the men stop to look at you and you aim at the main troublemaker.

“Next one goes between your eyes,” you threaten. Your hand twitches and the man and his friend stand quickly, leaving McCree on the ground. “He asked you to get off his property and I suggest you listen, _sirs_.” He snatches his hat up angrily and backs away.

“I’ll be back, McCree…you know I will. You better get your lil mulatto under control or I will.” You move towards him and he stumbles back, hands up. “I’m goin’…” The sinister smile on his face as he gets onto his horse and tips his hat sends a chill through you but you keep the gun on him until they ride away.

Now that the situation had died down, your hands begin shaking and your knees get weak. Tears cloud your vision and when McCree suddenly puts a hand on your shoulder, you scream.

“It’s all right now, darlin’. Go on and give me that.” He holds his hand out for the gun, pushing the hammer back into place. You turn to him and try to speak but only cry more.

“I-I was gonna make dinner…I was tryin’ to, I swear,” you say between sobs.

“Don’t you worry ‘bout that. Let’s go inside. C’mon.” He puts his arm around you and helps you walk up the steps. You should be the one helping him. You turn to get a better look at him and gasp. “It’s nothin’ I haven’t dealt with before. Don’t fuss.” He winces as he sits at the table and you knew you had to fuss.

Wiping your tears one your sleeves, you bring the bucket of water and a clean rag over to the table. You push on his ribs and he winces more. “Don’t think they’re broken but you will be bruised and sore for a while.” You dip the rag into the water and bring it up to his face but he moves away.

“I told you not to fuss.”

“Would you keep still please?” Your hands were still shaking slightly as you wiped his face gently, trying to cause him the least pain possible. “Why’d you go and do that?” you ask, shaking your head.

“He…disrespected you.” He clears his throat, clenching his teeth as you wipe over his eye.

“I’m used to that, Mr. McCree. Comes with the territory,” you joke but he grabs your wrist and stops you from wiping his face.

“It’s not a joke! What would’ve happened if I didn’t show up when I did, huh?” You snatch your hand away and continue your work.

“It don’t matter. You showed up and we’re both okay. I’m a lot tougher than I look…” It was true although you did burst into tears in the moment.

“How’d you know ‘bout the gun?” he asks calmly.

“I, uh, snooped a bit. Is it from the war?” He nods and looks at you, “Were you scared?”

“Of those guys? No.”

“No, I mean during the war. Were you afraid of not knowing if you would make it another day?”

He sighs and looks away from you, “Yeah, I was.” The mood had turned even more serious than what it was and McCree just couldn’t have that. “Should I be afraid of you now? Looks like you know how to handle that gun a little too well.” He smiles and you smile back.

“ _You_ don’t have to be afraid of me. I can’t speak for those other fellas though.” You shrug and he laughs lightly. “It’s a good skill to have, you know. Growin’ up the way I did…” You clear your throat and stand but McCree grabs your arm gently.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for anything bad that’s ever happened to ya. I’m sorry that somethin’ bad almost happened to ya today and I wasn’t here…I…” He lowers his head then looks at you again, “I’m sorry that I brought you here and put you in danger. I’ll understand if you don’t wanna stay.”

“I’m stayin’, McCree. I ain’t lettin’ those men scare me away that easily.” You wink at him and he gives you a crooked smile. “You hungry?”

“Yeah, but don’t you worry ‘bout cookin’ tonight. I’m gonna do it.” He stands slowly and walks to the door, “Gotta get the stuff I bought, left it on the horse. I got everything on the list.”

“ _You’re_ goin’ to cook?” you ask skeptically.

“Yes’m. Start a fire and I’ll deal with the rest,” he says before walking out the door. There wasn’t much you knew about McCree, but he seemed to be full of surprises.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jesse worries that you're ready to leave after what happened but you reassure him. You also meet someone very close to Jesse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I headcanon Jesse as half Native. If that bothers you then you might want to stop reading.

You could not get over how great a cook McCree was. You joked about it as you finished your second helping, “Looks like you don’t need me around here.”

McCree chuckles as he wipes his mouth, “You ready to leave me already?”

You shake your head, “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me, Mr. McCree.”

“Thank God for that,” he says, taking you by surprise.

“I’ll clear the dishes.” You stand quickly and reach for his plate.

“You ain’t gotta…,” he starts.

“You cooked, I’ll clean.” You smile at him and he nods once, relenting.

“It’s great havin’ you here, ya know.”

You stop in your tracks, “Is it?”

“Yeah…it’s nice to have someone to talk to other than my horse.”

“I see…” He looks as though he has something else to say, but hesitates. “What is it?” you ask.

“Oh, I…I gotta go back into town tomorrow mornin’.” Your heart drops, but you force a smile. “I’m gonna have a…friend of mine keep an eye out though. I ain’t gonna let anything to you again.”

“That’s very kind of you.” The silence dragged on until it became awkward and both of you try to speak at once.

“You first,” McCree insists.

“I just…I’m grateful. Thank you.”

He eyes you for a moment then smiles, “You’re welcome.” Of all the ways the conversation could have gone, this was the one you least expected. “So, you married? Got kids or anything? Any family?” He could see you visibly stiffen and he’s quick to correct himself. “I don’t mean to pry. You ain’t gotta answer. I’m sorry.”

You blink back a few tears before answering, “I don’t have anyone.” You give him a sad smile then look away, “How about you, Mr. McCree?”

He sighs and shakes his head, “It’s Jesse, remember?” You shrug apologetically and he continues, “I have family, my mother’s side mostly.” He stops for a moment and looks down at his hands, “And I was married once.” You wanted to know more, but it wasn’t your place. Besides, he looked like he was finished talking about it.

“I’m sorry for whatever happened to you,” you say, cleaning the last dish.

“It was a long time ago…too long,” he admits. He sounded sad and distant and you thought it best to call it a night.

“Well, I’m gonna hit the hay. Thanks again for dinner, McCree.”

“Anytime.” He nods at you and you give him a warm smile before retreating to your room. A few minutes later you hear footsteps then a door shut, McCree must have gone to bed. You couldn’t help but to be even more curious about him every day, but you were his employee and asking personal questions was not appropriate.

You had no idea that you would be finding out more about him sooner than you thought.

* * *

You wake the next morning remembering that McCree had left to go into town again. Your heart beat a little faster when you think about what happened yesterday, but apparently, he had someone watching you this time.

You listened closely to see if you could hear anyone moving around the house, but you didn’t hear a thing. How could someone watch you without being here?

Since you had some privacy, this was the perfect time for bathing and washing your hair. You got out of bed and walk to the front room to grab the water bucket. Before leaving, you look out the window – no one. You were relieved, but also confused – where was this person that was supposed to be protecting you?

Stepping outside slowly, you shield your eyes from the bright morning sun and breathe in the clean air. The walk to the water pump wasn’t bad, but it would be a challenge getting the full bucket back to the house. You cursed yourself as you tried lifting the bucket.

“Would you like some help with that, ma’am?” an unfamiliar voice asks from behind you. You gasp and turn quickly, coming almost face-to-face with a horse. You look up slowly, shielding your eyes from the sun and back away a little when you see the man clearly.

“W-who are you?”

He smiled gently down at you, seeing your fear. “I am a friend of Jesse’s. I won’t hurt you. There is no reason to be afraid.”

So, this was the friend. McCree did not mention that he was…

“He didn’t tell you I was…Native?” You shake your head, your heartbeat returning to normal. He looked friendly enough and if he was a friend of Jesse’s then you were sure you could trust him.

The man climbed down from his horse and still towered over you. “May I?” He points to the bucket and you nod. He lifts it as if it were full of feathers. His long braid fell over his shoulder as he turned towards you, “Lead the way.” You walk to the house, looking behind you every few steps. “What is your name?” he asks and you tell him. “I’m John…at least that’s the name the white men gave me. My ‘Christian’ name they call it.”

You laugh with him and you point to the fireplace where he sets the it down. “Thank you, John.” You start a fire to heat the water. With your back to him, you find the courage to ask, “How do you know Mr. McCree?”

He chuckles and you look at him, “Sorry, it’s funny to hear him get called Mr. McCree.” He clears his throat and continues, “Jesse and I…grew up together. You see, we’re brothers…”

“Brothers? How…?”

“We have the same mother. After my father died, she wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself. She eventually met the man that would become Jesse’s father. He left as soon as he found out she was pregnant.” He stops and sighs, looking at you, “Will you treat him differently now that you know this?”

You shake your head, “Of course not. He has been nothing but kind to me and his background will not change the way I treat him. If anything, we have more in common now.” John looks at you and tilts his head in question. “My father was a white man who wanted nothing to do with me. My mother worked for him and, well, you can figure out the rest.”

“I’m sorry.” The kind man bows his head and you smile. You suddenly remember that you were in your night clothes and wrap your arms around yourself. “Oh, I am so sorry. I should leave now. It was very nice to meet you.”

“Stay close. I’ll make you lunch.”

He seems to hesitate for a moment before answering, “I’d like that.” He nods once before leaving the house.

* * *

You bathe and dress as quickly as you can and start on lunch, making extra for McCree just in case he came back early and so you could have something already done for dinner.

You step outside and spot a man on a horse in the tree line. You wave him over and he makes his way over. “I hope I look a little more presentable now,” you joke. “Please come in. I hope you like mutton.”

“I do,” he says, making his way over to the table which you have already set. “Something else smells delicious.”

“Oh, I have a pie in the over. I wanted to surprise Jesse.”

“Let me,” John says, walking over to quickly pull a chair out for you.

“Thank you.”

He sits across from you and digs in, closing his eyes in delight. “This is delicious. I don’t think I’ve ever had better.” You laugh sheepishly and start to eat. You can feel John’s eyes on you and avoid his gaze. He starts to say something when you both hear the familiar sound of a horse galloping towards the house. You smile inwardly when you realize it must be McCree.

You walk outside with John following closely behind. McCree raises his hand with a smile in greeting, but the smile falters when he sees the man behind you. He walks towards the house, a bag in his hand. His eyes stayed on John and you turn to the man only to see a smirk on his face.

McCree nods at you then turns to John again, “What are you doin’ here?” he asks. You take the bag from him and look between the two men. “Go on inside,” he tells you without so much as glancing in your direction.

“That lovely woman offered me lunch, I wasn’t going to turn her down. Would you like to join us? She’s a wonderful cook.”

“I know that!” You wince at the sudden increased volume of his voice. Then he begins speaking in a language you hadn’t heard before. They went back and forth like that for some time before John comes into the house to bid you farewell.

* * *

“You in the habit of invitin’ strange men into the house? _My_ house?” McCree asks angrily.

“He ain’t a strange man, he’s your friend.”

“How do you know he was tellin’ the truth?” he asks and you turn to him, giving him a look of disbelief.

“I’m still alive, ain’t I?” you snap. McCree just sighs and throws his hands up in the air, walking away as if he’s given up trying to argue with you. “Good riddance,” you mumble.

“I ain’t quite hear ya. You wanna repeat that?” He walks over, turning his ear towards you.

“Just shut up and eat,” you blurt out. His eyes widen slightly and you cover your mouth.

“I ain’t hungry.” He starts walking away again.

“Fine, I’ll just let John have the pie I baked.” You walk to the over, ignoring the falter in his steps.

“You two that friendly already?”

“Why do you care?”

“You are somethin’ else, you know that?! You coulda been killed yesterday and here you are lettin’ somebody you don’t even know get close to ya!”

“You mean the same way I got close to you? I’m livin’ in the house with you – alone – away from civilization. You sayin’ I can’t trust you either?”

“You’re twistin’ what I’m sayin’ now. This ain’t ‘bout us…”

“Ain’t it?!” you shout and his mouth opens and closes like he was trying to catch his breath. “Were you ever gonna tell me that this friend of yours was actually your brother?”

Jesse turns his head slowly to look at you then scoffs, “He told you, did he? How does it feel knowin’ that you work for some _half breed_? A white _Injun_?”

“Is that what you think of yourself? And do you think so lowly of me? You think I would leave over something as trivial as that?” He starts to speak but you cut him off, “And if you haven’t noticed I’m a _mulatto_. A _half breed_ as you put it. To those white people, I’m worse than you’ll ever be.” Your voice cracks. “I’m sorry if you feel that way about yourself, but that doesn’t mean I think that way about you.”

You turn away from him and take the pie from the over. You place it on the windowsill to cool. “Apple molasses pie,” you tell him. “Let it cool before you have some.” With that, you remove your apron and walk to your room. He almost follows you, but he doesn’t know what to say.

Instead, he stands outside your closed door, almost knocking a few times, but stopping himself each time. He had no idea why he threw a conniption fit over you making John lunch…

…or did he know why but just wasn’t prepared to admit it? No, that couldn’t be it. He was just lonely and hadn’t been this close to a woman in a long while. He couldn’t explain why he was ready to kill those men in cold blood yesterday just for being near you. He couldn’t explain why he hated the way John looked at you and the way you looked at him.

Actually, he _could_ explain it, but he was stubborn as a mule. Maybe he just needed some sleep. His mind would be a little clearer in the morning.

He hoped.


End file.
